FSU Space Oddity by David Bowie Pop Culture Influence Analysis Paper

Open Discussion Post You are required to post items to the course online discussion forum that add value to the topic that is covered that week linking theory to real world examples. You will have two open discussion postings during the semester (Check syllabus calendar for when Open Discussion Postings will be due).

• Find & Post (or post a link to) a concept of Rhetorical Public Address (photo, short video, brief piece of writing, song, etc — that no one else in class has posted to the blog yet) related to this weeks chapter(s).

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE FRO ANOTHER CLASSMATE CANT BE USED

David Bowie Space Oddity Lyrics (Links to an external site.)

I chose the song written by famous English singer Davie Bowie called “Space Oddity”. You may recognize this song, but even if you do not I am quite sure you have heard of its references in pop-culture, such as the saying “Ground Control to Major Tom” when someone seems like they are not paying attention to whatever is you are saying. Originally released in 1969, the song tells the story of a brave astronaut, named Major Tom, embarking on a solo journey to space. In this tale, as soon as the astronaut makes it to space he experiences some technical difficulties with his space shuttle, and his communication with Ground Control is cut off. Alone in space, Major Tom realizes he will not make it back to earth and therefore accepts his undeniable premise of dying alone. Saying his last goodbyes to his family, the brave astronaut slowly drifts off into oblivion.

Looking at this song through a Marxist perspective, which likes to analyze texts as a byproduct of economic or social institutions centered around the same time era in which it was released, we can say this song was influenced by two events: the 1969 space landing and the 1968 Stanley Kubrick movie: A Space Odyssey. Clearly, the space theme was very prominent around this era for the song writer D. Bowie. Moreover, this song was written a couple of years after when the famous Space Race was going on between the United States and the Soviet Union. So, there are many space-related factors that could have influenced “Space Oddity”.

Now lets analyze “Space Oddity” from a feminist perspective, more specifically under the Queer Theory magnifying glass. Although the word queer has been used to describe the LGBTQ+ community, in this sense it can also mean the queerness from “any disturbance of normative”. In other words, something that is not widely accepted as normal by a community. “Space Oddity” underlying message could be about the controversial topic of drug use. The song could be a metaphor for a drug user. The feeling of “shooting” off into space, and the feeling of isolation from friends and family, making the drug user feel like he/she is drifting alone in space could have been implicitly conveyed in this song. In addition, Davie Bowie also struggled with drug use such as cocaine during the early seventies. Maybe this song was meant to share his feelings towards drugs or about the loneliness and loss of power over his life he could have experienced. Although writing a song about drugs during the fifties through seventies was not totally abnormal, drug use is still a very controversial topic between members of a community.

“Space Oddity” was an amazing song that allows its listeners to interpret and critique it from a variety of perspectives. You should listen to it if you have not done so already.

Resources:

1. Brummett, B. (2017). Rhetoric in popular culture. Los Angeles: Sage.

2. History.com editors. “The Space Race”. History.com. Feb. 22, 2010.

3. De Mola, Erica. “David Bowie and His History with Addition”. Rehabdetoxtreatment.com. Jan 18, 2016.

4. Nasa Administrator. “One Giant Leap for Mankind”. Nasa.gov. July 20, 1969.